Your Strength Is In The Hands of a Child....

 Today, I was just thinking about some things that have happened over the past week.  So much to tell, but such little time to get it all out!  But, I am thankful I'm here today, in my right mind, and have had the opportunity to experience every good and bad week that has happened this week.  But, while I was in my "thinking" mode...I started to think about my kids.  Okay, this may be a mommy thing to do, but even if you're not a mom I think kids teach all of us A LOT!

We were all little ones at one point.  I mean we didn't just come out as adults! (Or at least I hope you didn't) We had to watch our parents and learn the way in order to be who we are today.  And of course some experiences we have watched may not have been the BEST to watch, but ultimately we either learned how to do the same or how to choose to do the opposite!  But, I realized that as I've learned to be an adult, I not only learned from my past, but my future as well.

When I look at my kids it's so much of me that I can see in them. But the best of all is seeing them for who they are!  Each one has their own qualities that I love and some that drive me crazy!!!!  But, they're their own person.  My 10-year old, Jayde is such a innovative, inspiring and talented little lady.  Since she was a baby I knew there was something special about her.  And yes, we all see something special in our children, but you know how you just see something BRIGHT about your child's future?  And she hasn't had the easiest life.  There's been many personal struggles, but her strength to overcome them and still press her goal amazes me everyday!  She is a performer and we will perform Friday - Sunday.  She will still get up on Monday - Friday and do school and other extracurricular activities! And all the while I'm sitting back thinking "where the heck does this energy come from??"  Some things I don't have to push her on (but trust me there are a few I have push or remind her are important too).  But, I must say I have to give her credit when credit is due!!!  So, I know there's an amazing mission on her life!

Okay, now to my little one, Eris.  Little miss 2-year old!  She's a little fire ball too. lol  She's SOOOO smart.  I mean really you can't imagine how she surprises us with the things you hear her say.  She speaks clearly and learns something new each and every day.  She's a sweetie, but she definitely will put you in your place if need be.  She's affectionate only when she FEELS like being affectionate and definitely shows you in her own way that she loves you.  And ever since she was a baby, she was an independent little soul.  She wanted to walk before she could crawl. lol  She loves using her little legs to run, flip and play soccer.  And she's proud!  So, once again I've learned persistence, determination and enjoying life from her!

And lastly, my little bumpkin.  As I think I've mentioned before, I lost my daughter Emori at 5 months pregnant.  She had a terminal illness and made it only to 21 weeks.  I know what you may be thinking...what could I have possibly learn from a baby who wasn't born?  I learned so much thought that's priceless.  She showed me strength.  She was such a strong and stubborn soul.  Although the doctors told us at 15 weeks about her illness, she PRESSED on.  Even they were amazed at how severe her condition was, each time we came back for a visit her little heart was still beating.  She basically sent out the message that no matter what the medical diagnosis was, it's all in God's timing.  When it was her time, it was her time and no one was going to say otherwise!  She was much calmer than my other two in the womb, so I'm sure she was going to be chill one of the group, but I just know she was going to be the chill one, who was strong and stubborn all at the same time. Lol

But, all in all what I really want to say is children are a gift from God! It's not a gift we should take lightly.  I believe God's divine reason for sending children to us is to teach us.  Teach us to be like him and herd His flock in the right way.  So, look at your children or children that may be in your life (god children, nieces, nephews, etc.) and see what you can learn from them!  The child in you, always need something new to learn.

Be blessed!

Hustle Hard: The Price to Work....

Hey!!

Don't you love when you go on an interview, you feel really confident, you get a callback and you end up getting the job!  It's like finding a $20 randomly in your jeans pocket. But....for all of you parents you once the joy has settled, you now realize the REAL-ness of getting that job is you need to factor in a lot of factors. First of all, the pay definitely needs to be discussed. No surprises here!  That conversation goes a little like this... You: "So, what exactly is the salary for this position?",  Manager: "Well, that's negotiable, but due to budget restraints we're not going to able to go above X dollars, but what are you willing to work with?" You: "Well, I will need enough to pay for my household bills, maintain groceries, pay for my drycleaning to have decent clothes to come in here, pay for my monthly commute to come to work, AND definitely enough to pay for someone to watch my children while I work a strenuous 8 - 10 hours a day, and possibly some spare change to do one nice thing for myself every 2 weeks!  Okay, well maybe you won't say that exactly....but you'll be thinking it.

The Real Deal is hard out here for a parent! (you like where I was going with that one? lol)  You really end up becoming a hustling mama/daddy in order to maintain these days.  I read an article this morning in the Washington Post titled "The parenthood trap".   It's that serious out here that we are reading articles about how people ALL OVER are running into the tough predicament of trying to maintain having a job and to be able to pay someone to provide quality care for their children while they work.  I mean when you really break it down it almost seems like you're literally working just to pay someone so you can work! When I just said it like that it sounds very silly to me. lol  But, that's life.  You have to work to live and so on.

But, back to the facts....in the article it talks about how many mothers/fathers have decided to pass up working in order to raise their children.  Sounds foreign to some, but this is the reality many are faced with when having children.  And I know what some of you non-parents are thinking "Why have kids then?" and to you I say Touche', lol.  But, no really you choose to have children for your own personal reasons, but I'm sure for many the baseline is you want someone to love and to provide for and no matter how hard it gets, you do it because you were meant to.  So if you don't feel that divine reason to, then please don't choose to!

When you think about childcare....these days it's almost like thinking about a mortgage!  I remember when I first began a job and I inquired with a daycare that was near my soon-to-be place of employment.  I got to the part about the tuition and the nice receptionist began to so happily explain to me that for my daughter's age group at the time (1 year old) would be $1700 per month.  This was not including the meal plan and some other fees tagged on! You can probably imagine the look on my face when I heard that price.  I mean come on....was  my 1 year old getting a full-ride to her choice of a University when she finished preschool??

There are lot of people paying these type of prices. And yes, childcare CAN be that expensive.  In the article it shared results from a Census Bureau survey that the annual cost for infant care in Louisiana is about $5,600 and in Washington, DC it's about $22,000.  A big difference right?! I guess metropolitan areas are lot steeper when it comes to the cost of living.

I know for me there was a time when I thought I'd be one of those stay-at-home moms or at least a working-from-home mom!  Especially when I had a 9 year old, 6 month old and 1 more on the way.  There was no way I could imagine paying before/aftercare costs for my school-aged child and infant childcare prices for 2 babies! Lawd, help me!  I mean, I literally almost died when I did the calculations. So it was a "real life" debate for us to consider what's the best way to go.  Unfortunately, we lost our littlest one at 5 months pregnant.  After, that happened, we still talked it out to figure out what would be best for our family overall and things worked out the way they were meant.

So the dilemma here for us all is what can you do? Should one of you quit and stay home to care for the kids and help save on the childcare costs?  Should you find inexpensive, less quality care?  Or should you continue in the struggle with all other working parents out here and make the best out of it?

Pack Light & Pack Right!

Hey!!!

Hope you are doing well!  Looks like some funny business happened with my last post because my original disappeared!  Oh well, here we are again. :0)

Although it's a cloudy day today, I hope you're finding some sunshine in your life.  I know for me it's been a long week mentally and physically, so sunshine would be the cure. Lucky for me, we're going on a family mini-cation this weekend!

As excited as I am, one of the most difficult parts of going away is getting packed.  It is a process trying to get your life packed in a bag,  especially when you still have a million other things to do!  So, over the years and with having children I have learned the best way to eliminate or more realistically calm down the stress is to be PRE-pared.  I have created a little list I use to make sure I pack what I need! Here's a sample of my list and sometimes it does get tweaked based on location, person, or place, but you'll get an idea....

Mrs. B's Packing List for a Summer Mini-Cation

Clothes

Underclothes - 4 to 5 pair (extras are always good.,,.just in case!)

2 pairs of socks

4 shirts/tanks/blouses

2 pairs of jeans

2 pairs of shorts/skirts

1 sundress

bathing suit

slippers/slipper socks

1 pair of sandals

1 pair of flip flops

1 pair of tennis shoes/closed-toe shoes

Pj’s – 2 – 3 pair (gown/short sleeved pajamas/long sleeved)

Jewelry (few earrings/rings/necklaces)

light jacket/sweater

Necessities

Deodorant

Toothbrush/toothpaste

Washcloth/Bath Towel (if you're not into using hotel's)

Beach Towel

Lotion/Body Oil

Hair Supplies (brush, comb, hair oils and ties, shampoo and conditioner)

Prescribed Medicine/vitamins

Extras

Lysol

Wipes

Bug repellent

Sun screen

Adult/children's Medicine (allergy, pain, cough, upset stomach, etc.)

Snacks for car/room (crackers, fruit, etc.)

Tablets/iPods

Chargers for ALL electronic devices

Extra Extras

Plasticware (spoons/forks)

Straws

small toys

books

Whoo!  Was that a lot?!  I know it looks like it but trust me it's not; especially if you're traveling with a tribe like me. I use this mainly for myself and the girls.  Hubby is a big boy so he does his own, but most of the clothes/necessities are about the same. You may be looking at my list wondering what are some of the “extras” for.  Well for me I think it makes for a better trip to have what you need. Sometimes you don't have time to find a local drug store or Wal-mart to get what you need, so I like have things handy.  But, if you're all for the adventure, then have fun with it!  

But, truthfully I like to focus on the mission at hand….my family.  What I really love about vacations with the family is that it's an opportunity to be together.  It's a time to reconnect and enjoy each other without all of the disruptions in the world.  We never really think just how much our work, activities, school or whatever else we have going on takes away time from the ones we love. Im order to truly love and enjoy each other it’s important to remember to leave the unnecessary baggage at home!

Before going on a trip together, it’s important to leave the issues at home and more importantly resolve them before you step foot out of that door!  Work together to get through the tension of personal issues, bills, or miscommunication.  It’s not worth packing that mess to weigh you down in another location! So pack right and pack light!  Enjoy yourself and enjoy each other!

As we leave on our journey, pray for us and we’ll pray for you….and enjoy the rest of your summer too!

Ephesians 4:31-32 

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Cookin' It Up Thursdays - Buffalo Chicken Sandwich

Ooooh, do I have a treat for you!!!  Have you ever gone to "Hooters" and tried their famous buffalo chicken sandwiches?? If not....you should!  And if you're not feeling the females with tight shorts and tank tops scene while they're serving you then by all means; serve yourself at home!

So my first time trying this delicious, scrumptious, sammich was about a couple of years ago when a girlfriend and I went out to dinner at "Hooters."  Why'd we choose Hooters?  Um, not sure to be honest, but we took a night out from the hubbies and did our own thing. lol  Well, I ordered the buffalo chicken sandwich and fell in love!  I loved it so much that I tried it at home and everyone loved it too.  So, now I'm sharing my adaption of the Hooter's buffalo chicken sandwich recipe.

Buffalo Chicken Sandwich

1-pack of  boneless chicken tenderloins (may need more depending on family size)

Canola/Olive Oil

Frying Pan

Cookie Sheet Pan

1-Large Zip loc bag

Paper Towels

Medium Bowl

Flour

Garlic Powder

Black Pepper

Season Salt

Buffalo Sauce

Ranch Dressing

Mayo

Provolone Cheese

Sliced Dill Pickles

Potato Rolls

Directions:

Pre-heat oven on 250 degrees.  Pour oil (about 1/2 to 1 inch from bottom) into frying pan and turn onto medium fire.  While oil is heating up, wash chicken tenderloins and place on layered paper towels to help drain out excess water.  Pour a a tablespoon of each seasoning (season salt, garlic powder and black pepper) and 2 cups of flour into large zip lock bag.  Put chicken tenderloins in bag and shake.  Once covered, place each strip into frying pan.  Let chicken strips cook on each side until golden brown and fully cooked on the inside.  Once chicken strips are finished, place on a new set of layered paper towels to drain excess oil.  In a medium-sized bowl, pour in 1-1 1/2 cups of buffalo sauce.  Place chicken strips in bowl of sauce and turn over on all sides to cover each strip fully.  Place strips onto cookie sheet and then put it into the oven for about 5 minutes.

While strips are baking, lightly toast buns in frying pan or toaster.  Place toasted buns to the side when complete.  Then take strips out of the oven.  While strips are cooling, take each bun and lightly spread mayonnaise and ranch dressing.  Place 2-3 small strips on bottom bun.  Place provolone cheese on top (or if you don't like cheese, none at all will work too!) and put 1-2 dill pickles on top. Put your top bun on...and now you can serve!

This is a quick, easy, and fun meal for the family.  Especially on a Friday/Saturday at-home "movie" night. Fries would be a good side or if you want to go the healthier route, salad is always good too!  If you try this recipe, let me know how it turns out for you!  I hope you enjoy!

Take care and have a great weekend!

Cookin' It Up Thursdays!

One of my favorite pastimes is eating GOOD food!  So, being a full-time mom, there's not always time to get out and enjoy fine dining, so as long as I can find what tastes good for me I'm all smiles!  And what better way when you have a family to enjoy good food than cookin' it up at home??

I know you must have the lovely task; like me; to make sure the household is fed. But if you're anything like me sometimes it's a gamble....sometimes you feel like it and sometimes you don't! lol (Thankfully my hubby  picks up where I fall off!)  Most days it's me who's making the decisions of what to cook.  And don't get me wrong I do LOVE to cook, but after you've cooked almost 365 days a year, thinking of something quality to eat is a task!  And on top of that there seems like there aren't enough hours in a day to get it done!  Especially when you've gotten up at 5 a.m., gotten the kids ready, drop them off at school, camp or daycare, and worked an 8-hour day only to get off to WORK again!  So, during these HOT summer months I have made it my "stress-free duty" to figure out easy meals that won't require too much time, heat, and money!!!  As I find good ones that I have tried from Pinterest, YouTube, bouncing ideas off of friends/family, and when amazing ideas come into my beautiful mind. lol  Here's one my family really enjoyed!

**Fish Tacos**

There's 3 parts to this meal:

Cilantro-Lime Rice Recipe

1 teaspoon vegetable oil or butter

2 tsp. fresh cilantro

2/3 cup white jasmine rice

1 cup water

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 Lime

In a 2-quart heavy saucepan, heat oil or butter over low heat, stirring occasionally until melted. Add rice and lime juice, stir for 1 minute. Add water and salt, bring to a full rolling boil. At boiling, cover, turn down to simmer over low heat until rice is tender and the water is absorbed, about 25 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork.

Baja Sauce Recipe

1/2 Cup of Mayo

1/2 to 1 Cup of Sour Cream

1/4 Red Pepper

2 Cloves of Garlic

1/2 Jalapeno (depending on your spice level

1/4 of Sweet Onion

1 teaspoon of White Vinegar

1/4 teaspoon of Cumin

Salt

Pepper

Put mayo and sour cream in a ball according to the cup sizes listed above.  Using a blender; blend the red pepper, garlic, jalapeno and sweet onion.  Drain blended ingredients in a colander to take away excess juice.  Add blended mixture to the mayo and sour cream.  Add spices (cumin, salt, and pepper).  Pour in 1 teaspoon of white vinegar to offset any hot spices. Stir all ingredients together! Add any additional spices as needed to your liking.

Pan-Seared Tilapia

6 frozen/fresh tilapia fillets

lemon pepper

season salt

olive oil

kitchen scissors

Wash eat tilapia fillet thoroughly.  Place fish on pan/cutting board.  Slice eat fillet in several strips using the kitchen scissors.  Once all are sliced, sprinkle lemon pepper and season salt on each side of the fish strips. Pour 1 cap-ful of olive oil into a pan.  Place on low-medium heat.  Once oil has heated up, add fish strips to and fry.  Make sure fish is cooked thoroughly.   

Here's some extras of what I did:

Fried Flour Tortillas 

(but you can eat it however you like..)

Chopped Lettuce & Tomato

Alright, so it's your turn.... Have fun cookin' it up with love! 

Welcome to My World!

Hey!!!

So let me formally introduce myself!  I am Mrs. B (aka. Busy B), the wonderful wife of Mr. B, mother of a highly-energetic 2-year old daughter, an aspiring, talented 10-year old daughter and 3 creative in their own special way daughters through marriage who are 14, 19 and 20.  Are you tired yet??  lol  So you can only imagine how exciting my home can be?

Well you may be wondering where life began for the "B's."  On December 31, 2008 Mr. B and I first laid eyes on one another for the 1st time at a New Years' Eve service at my best friend's (his cousin) church.  Truthfully, we didn't really, officially meet one another until the following day (New Year's Day), January 1, 2009.  Oddly, my bff and I had been friends since we were in 5th grade.  It's amazing how fate works; things won't happen until the "right" time!  Well, after our lovely courtship-romance, we were united in holy matrimony on April 14, 2012!  So here we are 3 years later.... :0)

And I must say it has been a fun ride!  Don't get me wrong, there are challenges in marriage, but to make it work you have to have two people that are dedicated to put the work in.  I think the best thing to remember is to always put God first!  He should always be the center of your heart, life, and focus.  If you focus on Him, everything else will fall in place.  We hear all of the time that love is a decision, a sacrifice, and should be God-like, but are you really listening??Because guess what?....All of those things are TRUE !  I'm sure all of my married friends would testify to the same.  Sometimes we think because we have been with someone for a long time that we "know" them, but we all change each and everyday.  Life experiences, responses, and changes will attribute to maturity, growth, mindset, etc...and this can be both positively and negatively.

I have seen it first hand through our experiences how things change. We're always ready for the yellow brick road to walk down together, but you really have to realize there's a bigger mission than you.  Bigger than your wants and needs. Understanding that being selfless is an action you must live daily is truly understanding the love of God. 

You know how you know there's something you should be doing in life, but you just can't put your finger on it??  Some things I have always loved to do was share who I am and share what I know!  And at this point in life I think I have something to share regarding life. But, if you don't mind me sharing there is more to come of my idea of what it's like being a wife, mother, and woman!  These are my life experiences I am sharing and I hope in some way, my little space can be appreciated by even one other person in the world.

Til next time, take care and God Bless!

Proverbs 18:22 
"He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD."